Charity unit in Maugheraboy
THE Council has agreed to give homeless housing charity Focus Ireland funds to buy a house in Springhill Court, Maugheraboy.
The motion was met with resistance from Fianna Fáil Councillors Tom MacSharry and Seamus Kilgannon who raised concerns that the Council was agreeing to buy a house where no agreement had been made with the seller.
Cllr MacSharry told the September meeting that it was his understanding that No.20 Springhill Court was back on the market.
“Do we have evidence from the vendor that there’s no other interested parties?” he asked Director of Services Bartley Gavin.
Gavin replied that it was his understanding that agents for the vendors will sell the house to the Council subject to the Council’s approving the motion.
Cllr Gino O’Boyle asked Cllr MacSharry if there was a problem with giving Focus a house in Maugheraboy. Cllr MacSharry replied that there would be a problem if a third party put a deposit on the house that day.
Bartley Gavin urged the members to approve the motion and said: “A negative response will not deliver this house.”
Cllr O’Boyle put it to Cllr MacSharry that “there was no problem when you put travellers into Forthill” recently. Cllr Bree asked if Fianna Fáil were “now opposing social housing.”
Cllr Kilgannon said he supported Cllr MacSharry and social housing but said: “There’s a process. We’re agreeing to buy someone a house and there’s no agreement on it yet.”
Cllr Chris MacManus pointed out that out of six houses bought by the Council in the last six months, three were acquired by Focus without any controversy. The matter went to a vote. Councillors voted overwhelmingly in favour of allowing Focus Ireland buy the house. Cllrs MacSharry and Kilgannon voted against the motion.